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Hi all, sincere appoligies for not wiriting another blog entry sooner but I've had enough trouble keeping up with my journal. Since everything suddenly goes into a blur here (and by here I mean Sydney implying that we did manage to navigate our way through approximately 4500miles of Southern Africa and survive a lush 12hour quantas flight to Sydney!). All is well and I thought I might pick a few random days from the 'Chronicals and general meanderings of Jim and Clare' to tickle those taste buds and curl up those lips!
Day 29, Gaborone, Botswana to Kimberley, South Africa (9540 miles complete)
Even though the guesthouse was really pleasant and quiet, we decided to get on the road again today and get a few more mile under our belt so to speak. And, phew, what a day it's been.
It all started at 6.00am with a 20minute walk to the bus station. After finding out that no big buses go to Mafikeng (just on the boarder) we waited 2.5 hours on yet another small daladala (aka a VW campervan that has been altered to fit approx 20 people) with Curls' bag on our lap, waiting for the bus to fill up.
Being a sunday the place was pretty quiet and the wait definately tested our patience. Anyways, finally got on the road and arrived at the boarder in about 1.5 hours.
So... in Mafikeng, we find that no buses go to Kimberley and we have to get what can only be described as a slightly bigger black cab to Vryberg (please all bear in mind that we wanted to head due south to a) avoid Johannesburg and b)save time) It all started off really well with me sitting in the front with acres of space. However, I must still be slightly naive to think that an African driver would drive anywhere with a half full motor. Every couple of minuted out of town we would pick someone up! It got so bad that even the Africans were refusing to get in!
So... we're driving along and it really feels like Cansas, US. Corn fields for as far as the eye can see and telegraph poles running parallel to the road, all we needed was a twister. To make things even more surreal, I was wedged between a slightly smaller and thinner version of Mike Tyson but equally as pug faced and the driver, a man wearing an earring (you can never trust a man with an earring!) Oh and to cap it off he was playing a load of funky house!
So... get to Vryburg again after another 2 hours of driving and found another, slightly bigger bus going to Toureg. After grabbing some chips and really didgy ham, we started yet another rather comical meander through the plains of Northern South Africa. Again the driver was wearing an earring but this time he was playing Phil COllins and Lionel Ritchie (you would have loved it Dad!) We got dropped off at the junction and after a few minutes we got into a taxi for the remaining 2 hours. Finally pulled into the Gum Tree Guest House at about 6pm this evening, a slightly odd place formerley owned by the De Beers.
So... that was day 19 of our travels, quite sometime ago but quite a grueling day of travelling. For those of you still reading and haven't fallen asleep/given up with my rumblings, I endeavour to post of few more of these funny days that occur quite often (several being in Cape Town.)
I hope you are all well
Love as ever
Jim and Clare
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